University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Nursing School Review

University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee (UWM, UW-Milwaukee) began in 1885. Located just five miles from Lake Michigan, this University enrolls over 30,000 students each year in a broad range of programs in over 14 schools and colleges. UWM is Wisconsin’s most diverse University, with thousands of students that are first generation college students, a nationally known LGBT Resource Center, the state’s largest population of student veterans, and several on-campus multicultural centers.

Nursing Programs

Bachelor of Science (BS) in Nursing, Traditional

This program is for students beginning their career in professional nursing. Students may take courses at UWM, or at the University of Wisconsin locations in Parkside or Washington County. Graduates of this program will be allowed to take the Registered Nurse (RN) licensing exam.

Students must first apply to the University as Pre-Nursing. They must have one year of high school chemistry, three years of high school English, high school algebra, and have completed a History or Social Science course and college prep electives. They must also submit their ACT or SAT scores.

Once they have completed the majority of their Pre-Nursing courses with a C or higher in each course, an overall GPA of 2.75 or better, a 2.5 GPA in science courses, students may apply to the BS program. The Pre-Nursing courses include two semesters of Anatomy and Physiology, General Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Clinical Nutrition, Physics, Sociology, Introduction to Psychology, a Social Science elective, Human Growth and Development, Cultural Diversity in Healthcare, Perspectives in Healthcare Systems, Nursing Research, English Composition II, and four general education electives.

Students that are transferring in from another University or that have another degree may apply to the program if they have a GPA of 2.5 or better, have completed at least 15 credits, and have earned a B or better in at least one science course.

RN to BS Completion (BSN @ Home)

Graduates of diploma or associate degree nursing programs with an RN license may apply to this program to earn their bachelor’s degree. This flexible online program allows continue to work while earning their degree. Students may transfer up to 60 credits from their prior nursing studies, and the program takes two to four years, depending on the course load. Students will meet with an advisor to determine their exact course of study.

This program is a partnership between UWM, UW-Madison, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Oshkosh, and UW-Greenbay. Nursing courses are offered online to students enrolled in the program, though some lectures are available on campus. Students will receive their degree from UWM.

Applicants to this program will need to have a current RN license and be a graduate of an associate degree or diploma nursing program. They will also need to submit their transcripts.

RN to Master of Science in Nursing (MN)

This program is for graduates of an associate or diploma in nursing program that have an RN license. Students will be awarded 30 credits from their prior nursing studies, and will take an additional 118 credits to earn both their BS and MS degrees. This program allows students to complete nine credits of graduate courses during their undergraduate studies.

Applicants need to have a current RN license and be a graduate of an associate degree or diploma nursing program. They will also need to submit their transcripts.

MN Direct Entry

Students with a bachelor’s degree in any subject and no prior nursing experience may apply to this program. Students in this program are admitted to a cohort that takes courses continuously for 15 months. At this time, they may sit for the RN licensing exam. After passing the exam and becoming RNs, they will take 24 credits of MN courses, and upon graduation will be eligible to take the certification exam for Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL).

Applicants need to apply to the UWM Graduate School. They will need a bachelor’s degree, a GPA of at least 2.75, transcripts, reference letters, and a personal statement. They may need to submit GRE scores if their GPA is below 3.2.

Applicants also need to complete the prerequisite classes of upper-level Statistics, two semesters of Anatomy and Physiology, Growth and Development, Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Nutrition.

MN Program

This program builds on the educational foundation of the BS in Nursing program. Students will need to take 33 credits to complete this program, and may take their courses full time or part time. Graduates of this program will be allowed to take the CNL certification exam.

Applicants need to have a BS in nursing degree, a GPA of at least 2.75, transcripts, reference letters, resume, and a personal statement. They may need to submit GRE scores if their GPA is below 3.2.

BS to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

This program provides the highest level of education for advanced nursing practice. Students must complete 64 credits for this program, and may choose from a number of specialty tracks.

Applicants to this program must be graduates of a BS in Nursing program with a GPA of at least 2.75, and an RN license. They will need to submit their transcripts, a personal statement, GRE scores, reference letters, resume, two scholarly writing samples, and must have taken an upper level undergraduate statistics course.

Students may study the non-clinical specialization areas of Systems Leadership or Community Health. They may also concentrate on the advanced practice tracks of Family Nurse Practitioner or Clinical Nurse Specialist. Within Clinical Nurse Specialist, students may choose a population to study, including adult, childbearing, pediatric, or psych-mental health.

Post-Master’s DNP Online

This program is for students who have already earned an MS degree, and want to pursue their DNP degree. Students admitted into this program progress through as a cohort, taking 28 credits and 460 clinical hours part time. Classes are offered online.

Applicants to this program must be graduates of an MS in Nursing program with an advanced practice focus and a GPA of at least 3.2, and an RN license. They will need to submit their transcripts, a personal statement, GRE scores, reference letters, resume, two scholarly writing samples, and must have taken an upper level undergraduate statistics course.

BS to Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This program is for nurses interested in careers in research and who want to influence healthcare policy. This program is taught primarily on campus, and combines four functional courses from the DNP program with the traditional PhD program. Students must take at least 61 credits to graduate.

Applicants to this program must be graduates of a BS in Nursing program with a GPA of at least 2.75, and an RN license. They will need to submit their transcripts, a personal statement, GRE scores, reference letters, resume, two scholarly writing samples, and must have taken an upper level undergraduate statistics course.

PhD on Campus

This program is similar to the BS to PhD program, except it does not include the DNP functional courses. Students take 49 credits, and classes are held one day a week on campus to accommodate work schedules and commuting.

Applicants to this program must be graduates of a BS in Nursing program with a GPA of at least 2.75, and an RN license. They will need to submit their transcripts, a personal statement, GRE scores, reference letters, resume, two scholarly writing samples, and must have taken an upper level undergraduate statistics course.

PhD Online

This program is nearly identical to the PhD on Campus program, except students are admitted as a cohort and must take the courses online when offered.

Applicants to this program must be graduates of a BS in Nursing program with a GPA of at least 2.75, and an RN license. They will need to submit their transcripts, a personal statement, GRE scores, reference letters, resume, two scholarly writing samples, and must have taken an upper level undergraduate statistics course.

PhD in Medical Informatics

This is an interdisciplinary program offered by UWM and the Medical College of Wisconsin, and housed under the UWM Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Students perform advanced research and become leaders in healthcare and the medical industry. Students may choose an area of concentration in Knowledge Based Systems, Health Services Management and Policy, Health Information Systems, and Medical Imaging and Instrumentation.

Students will take a minimum of 61-67 credits beyond their BS degree. Students that already have an MS degree in a related field may apply up to 24 credits toward this program.

Applicants to the program must have either a BS or MS degree in Nursing or a related field, and must submit two recommendation letters and GRE scores.

Post MS Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate

This program is available to students who already have an MS in nursing. Graduates may take the certification exam for Family Nurse Practitioners. This is a 12 month program beginning in the summer, and students will take 21 credits to complete it.

Applicants must have an MS in Nursing degree, and have a B or better in graduate level courses of physiology, epidemiology, comprehensive assessment, and pharmacology. Students will need to have a GPA of at least 3.0, an RN license, submit their transcripts, submit reference letters, write an autobiographical sketch, and a resume.

Health Professional Education Certificate

This program is available to students who already have a BS or MS in nursing. This program requires 15 credits, and is offered in the classroom, online, or as hybrid courses.

Applicants to this program must be graduates of a BS in Nursing program with a GPA of at least 2.75, or an MS in Nursing with a 3.0 GPA, or be currently enrolled in a graduate program, and have an RN license. They will also need to submit their transcripts.

Public Health Certificate

This 15 credit program is offered through the School of Public Health. Applicants must have at least a baccalaureate degree, and must submit a resume, transcripts, and an autobiographical statement.

Post MS Applied Gerontology Certificate

This interdisciplinary certificate is designed for students who either hold a bachelor’s degree and don’t wish to pursue a master’s, or who are already in an MS program and wish to expand their knowledge of aging processes and policies. Students will take 17 credits to complete this certificate.

Applicants to this program must have a baccalaureate degree with a GPA of at least 2.75. They will need to submit their transcripts, and a personal statement, and submit an application to the UWM Graduate School.

College of Nursing Centers

The College of Nursing has centers that focus on nursing subjects like student learning, global health, nursing history, and research. These centers are staffed with expert personnel and allow faculty and students to participate in projects, research, and study-abroad opportunities. The College of Nursing centers at UWM include the Center for Global Health Equity, Center for Nursing History, and the Nursing Learning Resource Center.

Research

Over three quarters of all tenure track nursing faculty members are conducting funded research projects. The College of Nursing at UWM was recently ranked 28th in NIH funding to nursing schools, and it is projected that this funding level will increase.

Community Nursing Centers

UWM was one of the first nursing schools to establish community nursing centers to provide primary care to the public. In an average year, the community nursing centers have over 10,000 visits.

Contact:
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.,
P.O. Box 413
Milwaukee, WI 53201